Jump to content

Upside down herk


CCFH
 Share

Recommended Posts

Typically when airplanes are mounted this way, they are testing for:

1. Visual Observability

2. Radar Signature

3. Infrared Signature

Don't have a clue where this was taking place, so I could be all wrong on this.....

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Amazing that you AF guys don't know where and what that is.

And it takes a Navy guy to tell you that.

The C-130 is mounted on a pedestal at the USAF's Stockbridge Antenna Measurement and Research Facility.

The smaller planes are mounted on pedestals at the USAF's Newport Antenna Research and Measurement Facility.

They are part of the Rome Air Development Center which was at one time part of Griffiss AFB but is now under the direction of Wright-Patterson AFB.

WP's website on the Newport site - http://www.wpafb.af.mil/afrl/ri/ - Look under facilities.

[ATTACH]145[/ATTACH]

A view of an F-4E Phantom II aircraft mounted upside-down on a test tower at the Rome Air Development Center Newport site. Attached to the undercarriage of the F-4E is a special electronics pod holding a Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS).

Location: GRIFFISS AIR FORCE BASE

Date Shot: 9/17/1979

[ATTACH]146[/ATTACH]

A view of an F-4 Phantom II aircraft mounted upside-down on a test tower at the Rome Air Development Center Antenna Patterns Test Facility at the Newport site. The effectiveness of an AN/ALQ-119 electronic countermeasure pod, attached to the undercarriage of the F-4, is being determined without having to fly the aircraft.

Location: GRIFFISS AIR FORCE BASE

Date Shot: 12/17/1979

[ATTACH]147[/ATTACH]

An F-4 Phantom II aircraft is removed from a 30-foot-high test pedestal prior to being turned over and remounted. From this test pedestal, at the Rome Air Development Center, aircraft antennas can be tested and evaluated in various flight positions.

Location: GRIFFISS AIR FORCE BASE

Date Shot: 3/11/1980

[ATTACH]148[/ATTACH]

An F-15C Eagle aircraft is mounted on a pedestal at the Newport Test Site of the Rome Air Development Center.

Location: GRIFFISS AIR FORCE BASE

Date Shot: 8/14/1986

Edited by LC130LOAD1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[ATTACH]142[/ATTACH]

An A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft with an assortment of weapons stores is secured atop a 30-foot pedestal at the Rome Air Development Center's Newport Test Site. A new configuration of weapons will alter the effectiveness of the aircraft's antennas. The tests being conducted will assess antenna effectiveness.

Location: GRIFFISS AIR FORCE BASE

Date Shot: 12/28/1977

[ATTACH]143[/ATTACH]

A technician explains to an airman how avionics packages and radars are placed aboard a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft at the Rome Air Development Center.

Photographer's Name: TSGT John L. Marine

Location: GRIFFISS AIR FORCE, ROME

Date Shot: 8/1/1982

[ATTACH]144[/ATTACH]

A C-130 Hercules aircraft is inverted on a pedestal at the Rome Air Development Center's Irish Hill test site.

Location: GRIFFISS AIR FORCE, STOCKBRIDGE

Date Shot: 7/17/1986

You can find these and plenty more at http://dodimagery.afis.osd.mil/index.html

You can't hotlink pictures from there.

Edited by LC130LOAD1
Casy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Typically when airplanes are mounted this way, they are testing for:

1. Visual Observability

2. Radar Signature

3. Infrared Signature

Don't have a clue where this was taking place, so I could be all wrong on this.....

John

RF antenna pattern measurements

Spent way too much time there me for CTII, AC-130H and DIRCM testing

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just for kicks I would have liked to see how they did that. How many crains, what was the removal of inside equipment etc.

Muff

If memory serves, 3 cranes

a crane each fwd and aft with slings and the 3rd to flip it. Somewhere deep in a moving box I have pictures of a flip

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pretty sure they do this exclusively at Kirtland. Although, those trees don't look like your typical New Mexican variety, but who knows.

even though it has been answered - Kirtland's testing area has like zero trees, but lots of concrete. There is an "elephant cage", but I do not think they have done testing out there in a loooong time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

James, If I remember correctly, the aircraft in the picture is the same C-130A that was made up to look like an AC-130H back in the early 1990s.

I saw another picture with one that had an ASD-5 where the AC-130Hs had them and another one above the left main wheel well

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...